Rotary shuttle-actuating mechanism for sewing-machines



(No Model.)

H. W. HADLEY.

EOTAEY SHUTTLE AGTUATING MEGEANISM EOE SEWING MACHINES.

No., 406,042. Patented July 2, 1889A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEe HORACE lVEBS'lER IIADLEY, OF ORANGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

ROTARY SHUTTLE-ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,042, dated July 2, 1889. Application filed January 22, 1889. Serial No, 297.207. (No model.)

To all wiz/0m, t may concern/.-

Be it known that l, HOB-ACE lVEBsTER HADLEY, of Orange, county of Franklin, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improve ment in Sewing-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to improve that class of sewing-machines employing a rotary shuttle, the aim of my invention being to dispense with the racc in which the shuttle is usually rotated, thus avoiding friction. In accordance with my invention the shuttle is rotated by means of locking-slides, which are made to enter intcrmittingly holes in the shuttle, the shape of the slides or their direction of movement beingsuch that while rotating the shuttle they at the same time keep the latter in the proper vertical plane to enter and pass through the loops of needle-thread.

My invention consists, essentially, in the combination, with a rotary shaft, its head, a cam, and a shuttle, of a series of locking'- slides actuated by the said cam and entering the shuttle in a line angular with relation to the center of rotation of the said shaft,whereby the said slides are made to engage the said shuttle and lock and hold the same against lateral movement, the said slides serving to rotate the shuttle and pass it correctly into the loop of needle-thread, and this without a raceway, as will be described.

The invention herein contained is intended as an improvement on that described in my application Serial No. 288,962, the ring or race for the shuttle being herein entirely done away with.

Figure l is an under side view of a sufficient portion of a sewing-machine embodying my invention to enable the same to be understood, the central part of the machine being shown as partially broken out to save space upon the drawings. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, of the shuttle-driving shaft and its attached parts, together with the shuttle and bobbin. Fig. 3 is a left-hand end view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, the bobbin being removed. Fig. 4 is a left-hand end view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, with the bobbin and shuttle removed. Fi. 5 shows in elevation the stationary eamhub removed. Fig. 6 is a detail of the holder to engage the usual projection of thc bobbin case and prevent it from rotating with the shuttle. Fig. 7 is a modification of my in vention to be described, and Fig. S shows the face of the bobbin-case.

The bed-plate A, of any usual form or shape7 has bearing-lugs a a for the main shaft A', which may be rotated in any usual manner, the said shaft at its front endhavingattached to it by a screw ai a disk a, provided with a crank-pin having upon it a rollorbloek which enters a slot 2 in a disk al, secured by screw 3 to the short shaft l), which is the shuttle driving shaft, the roll or block in the said slot acting to rotate the shaft Z; and the parts actuated by it at a speed differing from or variable with relation to the rotation of the shaft A.

The shuttle-driving shaft b has its bearings in a stand all', secured to the bed-plate by screws 5, the said stand having secured in one end of it by screw (i the cam e, having at its periphery a groove 22, (see Fig. 5,) in which enters lthe shoulders or tail-pieces S of the locking-slide W, which are placed in suitable grooves or guideways of the head lr', lined in suitable manner to the shaft l), the said slides being retained in the grooves of the said head by a cover, as 23, shown in Figs. l and 2 as a thin metallic shell, which isheld in place by a screw 7. (Shown in Fig. l.)

The front ends of the locking-slidcs are shown as of substantially circular form and as notched to leave inclined projections, which travel in a uniform path with relation to the center of rotation of the shaft l), and in diagonal holes, as lf3, in the rim of the shuttle (I, the shape and movement of the locking-slides reciprocated longitudinally by the cam c, as the head is rotated about the said cam with the said slides, being such as to cause the said slides to so hold the shuttle that the shuttle is prevented from tipping aside out of the plane in which it is desired that the shuttle shall move to correctly enter and pass through the loops of needle-thread- As herein shown, the shuttle is to rotate in a substantially vertical plane, and when engaged by TOO the ends of the locking-slides it cannot tip out of a vertical plane, for the shuttle is held by two or more of the said slides at the same time.

The cam c, referred to, is of such shape as to withdraw the locking-slides from engagement with the shuttle, one after another, in manner as is obviously necessary to enable the shuttle to pass through the loop of thread therefrom out from the needle (not shown) in usual manner in forming the stitch. In Fig. 2 one of the said slides is so retracted, the other slide being shown in engagement with andas holding the shuttle.

The shuttle herein represented has a point 14, a back 15, and a shelf .19, the back having extended outwardly from it a post 1G, upon which is mounted the tubular shaft or journal of the bobbin-case 17, the bobbin 18 being mounted to turn on the said tubular journal, as is well understood. In practice the bobbin-case (see Fig. 8) has at its outer side a lug h, which enters the slot 25 in the holder 26, (shown detached in Fig. 6 and in position in Fig. 1,) the said holder being pivoted at 27, and having in turn pivoted upon it a springactuated latch 28, which engages a projection of a block 29, (see Fig. 1,) to retain the holder in position, with its slot embracing the usual projection h of the bobbin-case. This holder, besides preventing the rotation of the bobbincase with the shuttle, also acts to prevent the bobbin-case and bobbin from falling out from the front of the shuttle.

In my improved machine it is not contemplated that the removal of the shuttle is a necessity for ordinary sewing; but on the contrary the shuttle will remain in position and be rotated with the head b', the rear side of the back 15 of the shuttle, in practice, nearly touching the said head, there being left a suitable space between merely for the easy passage of one-half of the loop of needle-thread between the shuttle and the head.

In Fig.A '7, showing a modification of my invention, the cam-hub is somewhat differently shaped, and the cam-groove, to receive the tail-pieces 8 of the slides b2, is at the inner portion of the hub rather than at the outer portion, as in Figs. 1 2, and 5, and the said slides b2 in Fig. 7 are substantially straight, and the path of their movement is more angular than in Fig. 2.

I do not desire to limit my invention to the exact form ofthe shuttle herein shown, or of the shape of the head, or of the lockingslides,

the gist of my invention consisting in the fact that the locking-slides are of such shape and their movements are in such direction as to enable them, when in engagement with the shuttle, to prevent the same from moving aside laterally, for when the lateral movement of the shuttle is prevented by the locking-slides the necessity of employing a racel way for the shuttle is done away with. In my invention wherein the race is not used the loop of shuttle-thread is not injured or cut, nor is it soiled by oil, as when Y'a circular shuttle runs in a race.

The shaft A between its bearing a and the disk a has upon it an eccentric, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1,) which is embraced, as represented, by a strap, the outer end of which embraces one end of a feed-rocker shaft e, which is surrounded loosely by a sleeve e, having a shank c2, which enters a projection e3 of a slide-bar e, capable of being moved longitudinally in usual manner from the upper side of the bed-plate when it is desired to lengthen and shorten the length of the feed-stroke, and consequently the stitch. The right-hand end of the rocker e, Fig. 1, enters loosely a .link e3, and then enters a groove in a block e4. The link e3 is jointed at 28 to the rear end of the feed-bar 29, of usual construction, the opposite end of the feedsbar being slotted in usual manner and sliding upon the screw 30.

In practice the bobbin-holder will be 'provided with any usual or suitable tension device (not shown) for the under thread.

As herein represented, the rear end of the shaft a has upon it a hub having a disk a2, provided with a substantially diametrical slot, in which will enter a device, of usual construction, which is to rotate the shaft A.

Prior to my invention I am aware that a shuttle running in a race has been engaged by sliding pins and has been rotated by the said pins in the said race; but in no instance prior to my invention am I aware that the pins have ever acted to carry the shuttle through the loop without a race or similar contrivance to maintain the shuttle in one and the same uniform plane of rotation when passing through the loop of needle-thread.

In another application, Serial No. 288,962, iiled by me October 28, 1.888, I have shown a circularly-moving shuttle actuated by sliding pins, which by a cam-hub are made to successively'engage and l.then retire from the shuttle during its passage through the loop of needle-thread, the face of the shuttle being borne against a partial ring or race. Herein I do not claim anything shown in the said application, as my present invention appertains to and includes such a construction and location of the locking-slides and their combination with the shuttle in such manner'as `.to enable the partial ring or race to be entirely dispensed with.

By the term angular direction7 employed vherein I mean a direction which is not parallel with the axis of rotation of the shaft b,

`and -my invention is the same whether the slides referred to reciprocate in a perfectly straight or in a curved path, as both forms are shown in the drawings.

I claim-- The shuttle provided with holes angular to IOO IIO

the axis of rotation of the shuttle, the shaft b, means to rotate itand the head, combined with the looking-slides and means to move them in an angular direction with relation to the said shaft l), whereby the ends of the slides enter said holesin the shuttle and loek the latter against lateral movementI as the latter is beingl rotated and carried through the loop of needle-thread by the said slides, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two snb- Io seribin witnesses.

HORACE WEBSTER HADLEY.

Witnesses:

U. EDWARD MACK, EDWARD L. BOWERS. 

